Christian Articles to Edify Folks

An Approved Servant of The Lord–One Who Seeks the Old Paths

January 15th, 2014

If a Christian strives to be “An Approved Servant of the Lord”, he or she will need to stand firm in the Lord Jesus. Paul writes these words in 1 Cor. 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (HCSB) We must have the right foundation for our faith and because of our commitment to the Lord Jesus we will seek to abound and excel in His service.

We need to be strong in the Lord. We need to be looking for ways to serve God wherever we are. We need to put into practice what we believe. We need to live out our faith. If we believe this, we will seek the “old paths.” The prophet Jeremiah wrote the following, “Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jer. 6:16, ESV)

Many people in Israel at that time had fallen away from worshiping Jehovah God. They were following idols and putting their trust in ungodly people and kingdoms. The Lord, through His servant Jeremiah, was urging them to return to the ways of God. This way is based in the inspired Word of God. He was telling them and us today that in serving God and following His Word, that is walking int it, we we will discover God’s will in our lives. Following the “old paths” means we will live by tried and true precepts.

Solomon wrote in Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (ESV) If we want to stand firm in the Lord, following the “old paths,” we must start by completely trusting in the Lord. It is so easy to want to live by our own standards while saying that we are living by God’s. But by yielding our wills and our heart (our mind) to Him, we will reap many benefits.

Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-2, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT) -Larry Miles, January 15, 2014